Tsogo Sun Entrepreneurs’ enrols 20 businesses for development

Tsogo Sun Entrepreneurs’ newest intake of 20 businesses into its 12-month development programme commenced with a two-day induction seminar on 26 and 27 January at the Garden Court OR Tambo hotel, bringing the total number of entrepreneurs supported by the programme since 2005 to 200. Tsogo Sun is a leading hotels, gaming and entertainment company with a passion for developing small, medium and micro enterprises as a solution to creating employment and as a contributor towards transformation and the growth of the South African economy.

Over the years Tsogo Sun Entrepreneurs has enabled many small business successes, provided practical support through the development programme, encouraged transformation to a more empowered society, and recognised excellent entrepreneurial performance through the prestigious annual Tsogo Sun Entrepreneur of the Year Awards for the top performers. The programme also provides a valuable platform for successful entrepreneurs – those who have overcome the odds against them – to be strong role models to other aspiring entrepreneurs.

The 2017 induction orientated new entrepreneurs into the programme through workshops and presentations that will help them to fully embrace the entrepreneurial role and learn to anticipate challenges, and to identify their own strengths. They also learned what the partnership with Tsogo Sun Entrepreneurs means and how they can maximise the opportunities that it presents. At the end of the programme, the inductees signed letters of commitment.

Says Candy Tothill, Tsogo Sun’s GM of Corporate Affairs, “We work at bringing improvements into the programme every year based on learnings and experience, and this year we introduced business and financial analysis and behavioural assessment. These tools will help us to engage with the entrepreneurs at an operational level and provide toolkits that can be implemented where we identify gaps in their business operations.”

This year’s diverse intake includes an arts and crafts business, hotel amenities, after-school care education, a clothing cooperative, cleaning services, catering, accommodation, venue hire, linen recycling, equipment hire, tour operator, spa treatments, gardening services, building maintenance, and cleaning detergents. Just over 50% of the participants are in the tourism industry, specifically accommodation, restaurants, and hotel amenities. The inductees are based in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and Western Cape.

Adds Tothill, “Having a diverse group of entrepreneurs in our programme expands its scope and also creates a pool of businesses that can trade with each other.

We have high hopes for these entrepreneurs. They are already achievers in their own rights; we aim to help them improve their business performance, gain access to new markets, create more jobs and contribute to our country’s growing economy.”